Quote:I compete in [and judge at] competitions fought under a form of semi-contact continuous rules. The actual level of contact can vary a fair bit between weight categories. We wear shoes, and fairly minimal protective gear, so controlled contact can still sting a bit.

I find that's about as hard a level of contact as I'd want to participate in regularly. As a super-heavyweight 'controlled' contact works out as 'contact hard enough to leave pretty nasty bruises but unlikely to do serious injury', and that's fine for me. I've done a little full-contact sparring in the past [boxing], and while it was fine as an occasional thing, I wouldn't want to be doing it regularly.

I don't really see what competing full-contact would really add for me. Or at least I can't see the benefits being great enough to persuade me to do it regularly.

I think its a matter of what you want out of your training. If you are going full blast full power full everything all the time in training, then that is not a smart way to train fighting do matter what you are training for. Even the elite level UFC guys train with controlled contact. That is what the heavy bag, thai pads, and focus mitts are for, full power impact training on a regular basis. A true full contact sparring session would only be for testing something and not for regular training. If you see anyone training on a regular basis with full power in sparring run away quickly. They do not understand the methodology of smart and healthy training for any level of fighting or competition.

I've never competed in full contact officially, but I have done it with some friends. While walking up in pads and all may not get the perfect feel for taking hits, it's far superior to point sparring in which you never really feel it. The pluses of full contact are that you learn to hit full force, and therefore will hit full force in a real fight. Someone who fights point sparring is constantly building the habit of pulling his punches, and, as a result of habit, may actually end up doing that in a fight even unintentionally. Yes, he may THINK that he could hit full force, but if he's trained to tap the opponent, he'll need to be consciously reminding himself to go all the way through on his techniques, as opposed to someone who has trained Full Contact who will do it naturally.

And the other plus to Full Contact is that you learn to take hits. As someone already said, if your covered in pads it isn't QUITE the same. However, you're still learning to deal with the impact, and depending on your school (boxing schools for example, do not use many pads) you're learning to deal with the pain of getting hit.It really toughens you up. Point sparring, you never get used to the feel of getting hit.

First- agree totally w/ Kimo2007 and medulanet. As Kimo notes it depends on tourney and ring master, lost my 1st match as BB rank when (to my cool luck at US Open, Daytona back...well you may not have been born:) ) Superfoot Bill Wallace (he's shorter than I'd expected) Overruled and denied a 2pointer wheelkick to head because "I didn't see the head move enough I want more contact at this level"

Bagwork, preferably a used 100lb hanging (why used? there is usually a plastic bag of sawdust in a the mid of the stuffing and after its broken a slow gradation of resistance begins, soft at top-harder at mid-packed sawdust at bottom{great to condition shins elbows knuckles knees-IF ONE IS OLD ENOUGH-leading to my pontification)

The bones in a youth have not fully formed and cranial sutures not completely fixed, Body conditioning and thus FULL CONTACT impact for a youth is (in my limited medical experience) NOT GOOD (well ok, im a lersting sample of dane bramage and arthritic ugly knuckles)

Train well/train safe. Even a game of tag is teaching you Distance, Timing, Speed, Cadence, and the spinal reflex to strike before conscious thought. Peace. (Youth= 18-20)

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I'm looking to go in to continuous but so far really enjoy point sparring. I try to look at every hit as if it were a knife fight, and it's crucial to strike and not be struck. I find I have to think fast to better my opponent and I like the fierce concentration required. Early days yet, but I think both have really significant value

I read so many times in the press about "Karate Champs" in the "Tag" competitions or as I like to call them "Tippy Tappy, Bouncy Bouncy, Strike, Score a Point and Scream Kumite" that is current with the WKA, WKF and other "Karate" organisation that got out of their depth in a real situation. And get defeated etc by a gang of youths, a Streetfighter or mugger etc

Atleast with Knockdown Karate you get to know what it sort of feels like to be in a real situation.

I've never heard of a Kyokushin Karateka that got defeated by a Gang of Youths, Streetfighter or a Mugger etc.Continuous is sort of getting there but Full contact is the way forward.

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A man is but the product of his thoughts what he thinks, he becomes.

Well, as medulanet put it (over a year ago BTW lol!) it depends what you want out of training. If a person wants to take up Karate as a form of exercise, maybe the point sparring system might suit them better.

I don't think it's wise to always assume that point sparring = light contact. See the point sparring below as an example of full contact point sparring that is very much in the Japanese tradition of the ichigeki hissatsu: